The Simplest Thing to do
by nubslife
Summary: What happens immediately after the final battle... Draco finds strength and Hermione finds hope. One-shot. COMPLETE. Dramione, based on Deathly Hallows Part 2: the movie. Written by nubslife


_**(A/N: Hi everyone, here's a new one-shot for you all. I've based this one off of the ending of Deathly Hallows part 2, the movie. And of course, I had to add Dramione to it. You know me ;) Anyways, I know this one is a little dark. But I hope you like it. -nubslife)**_

The fresh stench of fire and rubble breathed into the air around him. He could feel his eyes burning. Not from pain. Nor from sadness. It just came, like a striking realization.

Draco looked across the front yard of Hogwarts, ash and ruin surrounding him. Voldemort had won. Harry was limp in Hagrid's arms, and the rest of the school stood emotionless, with hope depleting in their hearts. He could practically feel it.

"HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!" Voldemort yelled again in a maniacal laugh.

Draco physically cringed at the sound of his voice. Just a few moments ago, that man-that monster, pulled him to his side. Away from his classmates and from his childhood. If he had enough power, he would kill him. He would kill all of them.

"Draco." Lucius hissed, as he noticed his son's flicker of anger. "You did the right thing."

At that point, Draco wanted to strangle his father. Never. Never did he do the right thing. He followed his family, but yet that wasn't even the right choice. The moment his scuffed shoe stepped out of the Hogwarts crowd and into the Death Eater horde, he felt regret. Although his family was there, he couldn't get the deep feeling of betrayal out of his mind. Or maybe it was his heart. Or maybe his stomach. Either way, he looked up as Longbottom's voice stretched upon the burning and broken castle.

Throughout the Gryffindor's spiel, Draco glanced at the people before him. They once had so much life and hope, so much potential and happiness. And yet, it was all gone. As if the vital air they simply breathed, was like a Dementor's magic itself.

Then his eyes connected with hers. She looked back at him, holding Weasley's hand, almost begging him to step back. But he wouldn't dare. He stared at her, trying to settle within himself that this was his choice. This was how his life was meant to be. He glanced at her one last time, hoping for her to understand. To feel what he felt. To see what he saw. And Hermione Granger did.

Suddenly a shift within the crowd broke, and an awful scream entered the ruin-Harry Potter was alive. Lucius yanked at his shoulder, pulling him to the back of the crowd. Out of the sea of black woven cloaks, he caught sight of his mother, equally shoving herself out and away from the 'real' final battle. They were halfway across the stone bridge before Draco halted.

"Why are we leaving?" For once, he felt the sunshine glow onto his skin, and greet him in a comforting warmth, that he hadn't had for years.

His father stopped, holding his mother's hand a few feet from his own. "You know why," he spat, "Now come on."

Draco stepped back, "No."

"Draco…" His mother pleaded. Lucius' grip rung tighter to his wife.

"All you do is run. It's all we've ever done. I'm staying. And I'm finishing this."

"YOU DARE DEFY THIS FAMILY NAME-" His father stepped forward, fist at ready.

"I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THIS FAMILY!" Draco snapped, watching his father retreat, "About you…you took everything away from us." He gripped his wand tighter, "Leave if you want. I'm not disappearing."

"Draco!" Narcissa Malfoy lurched forward, only to have her husband restrain her.

"You know you will be sent to Askaban." Lucius growled as he tried to hold back his sobbing wife.

Draco's face was no longer visible to his parents; only the shadow of his features graced their view. "I'm willing to face my consequences."

Even a wail from his mother didn't break his determination. Soon, Lucius had his wife in a strong hold, "I've always hated you." And they apparated away.

-x-

Her hair frazzled, and singed at the ends, she made her way past the Hospital Wing, where the majority of the people had gathered. She glimpsed into the door, watching Ron collapse at the corpse of Lavender Brown. His own brother, two cots down. She watched as Ron's body trembled with despair, and his grip gently caressed the sides of the girl's cold, stone face. Harry, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found. The battle he had been fighting since his birth was suddenly complete, with only a few flashes of light and a final death spell. And Voldemort withered into the air without a sound. Hermione wondered if he was just mourning, or maybe celebrating. Either way, the trio knew that they all had to be alone.

Hermione made her way to an old hallway, typically used by the older students. She gazed up at the broken ceiling, with streams of sunlight fading their way into the historical decay. Abruptly, she saw a glimpse of ash-stained platinum blonde hair, peeking from outside an alcove. She quickly walked towards it.

His eyes bore into hers, just the same as their connection in the courtyard. Without words, he grabbed her wrist and started running.

Hermione said nothing as Draco dragged her to the Astronomy Tower. The moment the door closed, and their leather shoes decided to stop squeaking against the floorboards, he grabbed her wrist again, and had her point her wand towards his throat. "Do it." His voice was dry.

Hermione immediately retreated, stunned by his actions. "Wha-"

"Do it, Granger. I want you to do it." His eyes wouldn't let go of her gaze. His face alone showed the amount of desperation he wanted from this. "You've always known. I know you have."

His pressed her wand deeper against his neck, "Please, Hermione."

The tears began to appear as Hermione looked at his tattered form. He deeply wanted this. She knew. "Malfoy…"

"Even when we hated each other, you knew more about me than anyone else did." He gripped her wrist tighter, "You knew, and you didn't say." He was now backed up against the stone wall, "You saw, and you didn't tell."

"DRACO!" Her scream stopped his strength. "You knew too." She searched his eyes, "You knew..."

"Stop." Draco's gripped remained on her wrist, "Hermione. Stop. I'm asking for you to do the simplest thing." He pushed her away from him, and redirected her wand to his throat.

Hermione stepped back, dumbfounded. She pointed her wand, and breathed. "Okay."

-x-

The next thing he knew, she had dropped her wand and thrown herself against him. Together, their bodies fell against the concrete wall behind them. He could feel her heated tears and trembling sobs, shake his own body. "Granger…"

Her face still didn't show from her position against him, "The simplest thing to do… is loving you."


End file.
